Orange Sauce Recipe
on Jul 15, 2020, Updated Jun 18, 2024
Sweet and tangy orange sauce is delicious in stir fry! It is easy to make at home, and perfect for bringing dishes like orange chicken and tofu with orange sauce to life in your own kitchen.
Making your own orange sauce is so easy!
Orange chicken was one of my favorite things to order takeout growing up. This recipe is inspired by the taste of something that you would buy at your favorite Chinese restaurant.
This recipe is what I used to make orange tofu, and vegan orange chicken (orange cauliflower) and it also makes a great sauce for veggie stir fry served over sticky white rice!
It is really so easy to make it yourself at home, and the flavor is amazing. I tested this recipe four times until the flavor was perfect. The end result is a flavorful, easy recipe that takes just 15 minutes to make!
What is orange sauce made of?
Homemade orange sauce is heavenly! This sweet sauce is made of orange juice, brown sugar, pure maple syrup, rice vinegar, soy sauce, minced garlic, and minced ginger.
How to make orange sauce
First, you will start with fresh minced ginger and garlic. Not much, as we want the orange flavor to be the star of this sauce!
In a sauce pan, add 1 teaspoon of neutral flavored oil.mCook the minced garlic and ginger for around 2 – 3 minutes, until fragrant.
Next, add the orange juice, brown sugar, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Heat for 3 minutes. In a small bowl, make a slurry from 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1/4 cup of water.
What is a cornstarch slurry?
A cornstarch slurry is simply a mixture of cold water and cornstarch which is often used as a thickening agent in asian inspired sauces.
Add the slurry to the sauce, and whisk for 5 minutes, until thickened. Your sauce is now ready to serve!
I can’t be the only one obsessed with orange sauce on rice! Honestly, that might be my favorite part of finishing my plate.
This dish is perfect for veggie stir fry, orange chicken, tofu with orange sauce, or crispy orange cauliflower. Try making this at home and let me know what you think!
Is this recipe spicy?
No, it is not spicy. If you want a spicier sauce, add red pepper flakes to taste. I suggest starting with 1/8 teaspoon and going from there.
Is this orange sauce gluten free?
Yes it is! As long as you use gluten free soy sauce, all other ingredients are gluten free.
More Stir Fry Recipes
Orange Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon olive oil , or other neutral oil
For the Cornstarch Slurry
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil or other neutral flavored oil in a sauce pan
- Add the minced garlic and minced ginger and cook for 2 – 3 minutes, until fragrant. Stir often to avoid burning
- Add 1/3 cup water, orange juice, brown sugar, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and soy sauce and heat for 3 minutes, stirring often
- In a small bowl, whisk the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1/4 cup of water to form the slurry
- Add the cornstarch slurry to the sauce and whisk to thicken, around 3 – 5 minutes
- Add orange sauce to your orange chicken, orange tofu, orange cauliflower, or use as sauce for stir fry veggies!
Question: Can honey be substituted for maple syrup? I don’t have pure maple syrup. I just have normal syrup. Pure cost too much to afford the extra expense just for one thing. Husband thinks honey sounds like a good idea vs the fake maple syrup stuff (at least it doesn’t have HFCS in it though…). I will try to make this later in the week with chicken, rice, and veggies.
It’s such a small amount I think that would work fine! Or just use more brown sugar in place of the maple syrup.